2010 Memorable TV and Film Performances

And the winners are (in no particular order)...


Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Where? Toy Story 3
Why? The year's top movie moneymaker would not be the same without the amazing, expressive voices of Woody and Buzz. Yes, Pixar does wonders with visuals and an awesome story, but you really believe in the characters because of great voice work by Hanks, Allen, and a host of others (Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Estelle Harris, George’s mom on Seinfeld, as Mrs. Potato Head are hilarious).


Mark Ruffalo
Where? The Kids Are All Right
Why? Ruffalo plays a sperm donor reunited with the teenage children his college moneymaking scheme helped produce. The kids' parents are a lesbian couple, and the donor dad ends up falling in love and having an affair with one of the moms. (Try watching that with your parents like I did.) Great performances all around in this timely movie, but Ruffalo's portrait of a sudden father merits award recognition.



Cast of Modern Family
Where? ABC
Why? This entire cast is captivating. I cannot say enough about this outstanding sitcom family: the bumbling dad and his wacky family, the Hispanic trophy wife and her oddly adult-like teenage son, the married gay couple with an Asian baby, plus they also revived the careers of Ed O’Neill from Married with Children and Shelley Long from Cheers (in a guest role) playing the divorced patriarchs of the family. They all help create a laugh out loud television experience.


Jane Lynch
Where? Glee on FOX
Why? The last television villain that received this much positive publicity just may be J.R. Ewing from the 80's hit Dallas. You love to hate Lynch’s Sue Sylvester. Her one-liners are as good as anything Clint Eastwood's character rambled in Grand Tarino, like “You think this is hard? Try waterboarding. That's hard!” And, she continues to surprise you with random acts of kindness. For instance, her trusted sidekick and mentee is a cheerleader with Down Syndrome. Kudos also goes to Glee for having characters with disabilities who are not defined by their disabilities.


Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson
Where? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
Why? It's extremely rare to watch three child actors become seasoned adult performers playing the same characters (think about how bad Saved by the Bell: the College Years was, ok scratch that – do not think about it). In Deathly Hallows Part 1, all three actors give their best performances yet. They are able to display an amazing range of emotions often just through facial expressions to one another. It's cool to hear they are friends in real life too.



Betty White
Where? Everywhere
Why? I have watched Betty White on TV my whole life, and I am thankful for America's renewed interest in one of my favorite television performers. From the Snickers commercial to hosting SNL to a new sitcom role on the TV Guide network in Hot in Cleveland, White's career is hot and hip in her 80’s. Though, I think I will still always be partial to White’s performance as Sue Ann Nivens on the groundbreaking Mary Tyler Moore Show. Bonus points: a lifetime of advocacy for animals.



James Franco
Where? Like Betty White, “Where not?” would be a better question -- movies, a soap opera, your book store, art shows
Why? Like White, Franco could have risked overexposure this year. He's also working on a PhD in English at Yale for goodness sakes. His small part in the female-friendly Eat, Pray, Love saved the movie for me (beautiful cinematography, beautiful female lead, but definitely a chick flick). In the film 127 Hours, Franco proves, like Tom Hanks in Castaway, one actor can keep you entertained for an entire movie. My favorite Franco performance is still as the drug dealer in Pineapple Express. Don't hate. I always have a soft spot for drug dealers with a heart.


Mickey Rourke
Where?Iron Man 2
Why? I love a good comeback story. Rourke's performance in The Wrestler (a real career defibrillation) led to this film role, as the villain, Whiplash. Robert Downey, Jr. and the rest of the cast are great too, but Rourke’s Whiplash is extremely memorable. My Russian students tell me his accent for the movie was horrible, but as you can see, I enjoyed this performance so much it inspired my Halloween costume.


Donald Glover, Danny Pudi
Where? Community on NBC
Why? This show has a stellar ensemble cast like The Office or Cheers. I mean for goodness sakes they brought Chevy Chase back! But, the short videos at the end of every episode, with Glover’s Troy and Pudi’s Abed, are hilarious. They are my new favorite comedy duo. Special shout out to Glover for campaigning to be the next Spiderman -- it didn't work, but gosh that would have been entertaining.


Jesse Eisenberg
Where? The Social Network
Why? My friend and I left this movie with vastly different impressions (as discussed earlier on this blog). He wanted to develop the next big thing so he could be as rich and famous as Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerburg, the facebook founder. I felt sorry for Zuckerburg, who seemed isolated and troubled at the movie’s end – an example of money’s inability to buy happiness. Whatever your takeaway from the movie, Eisenberg’s performance is top notch in a great film.


Leonardo DiCaprio
Where? Shutter Island, Inception
Why? Stellar performances in two of the year’s most talked about movies. Do not ask me to explain either film, but DiCaprio proved he is an acting force to be reckoned with, bringing critical acclaim and big bucks to both films. Added bonus: I can finally see him perform without hearing the theme songs from Titanic or Growing Pains (his first major performance) in my head.



Will Poulter
Where? Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Why? This British teenager accurately portrays Eustace, one of the most miserable characters in all of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books. You hate him in the beginning of the movie. Then, he successfully portrays the boy's life change, after a magical stint as a dragon and an encounter with the great lion, Aslan, my favorite character in all of fiction (Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would be on that list as well, but that's for another time). And, in the end, you hope to see Poulter’s Eustace in future Narnia movies.



Kyra Sedgwick
Where? The Closer on TNT
Why? Sedgwick's deputy chief Brenda Johnson is part genteel southern lady, part hard-ass LA cop. If you have spent any time in the South, you know women like her. She can charm a perp into confessing then use words to cut him down with the intensity of a killer. I once worked for a school administrator in the South like that. Her emails began and ended with over the top Southern pleasantries. Then, in the middle paragraphs, she went in for the kill. At least, Brenda is nice to her staff.


Ben Affleck
Where? The Town
Why? This dual performance as actor and director is a feat in itself. I always love it when a movie has me rooting for a criminal despite my law-abiding ways (well, I have never robbed anyone). Affleck's performance as a bank robber is one of his best.


Hailee Steinfeld
Where? True Grit
Why? A newcomer to film, this teenager helped me really enjoy a Western movie for the first time -- unless you count Back to the Future III as a western, and if you do, we should talk. The movie has great work by Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and directors, the Cohen brothers, but the girl's performance shines brightest. (Side note: My dad loves the original True Grit with John Wayne. He also liked Steinfeld’s performance, and he loves Westerns. So that's a pretty legitimate source on this addition to the list).


Ray Ramano, Scott Bakula, Andre Braugher
Where? Men of a Certain Age on TNT
Why? First, I happen to be a man of a certain age. Second, I envy these guys’ long-term friendships, but not their personal situations. There's a real life feel to this male-focused drama you do not often see on television, and the lead actors show great sincerity in their depiction of men from a certain generation. I agree with one critic who pointed out that rarely do male adult friends start every day with breakfast together and share a weekly hike. It is a nice idea, though.

I know I have missed some stellar performances from this past year, but these are the ones that stand out for me. Also, keep in mind, no one pays for me to go to the movies like professional critics or sends me advanced screener copies of films. There are still some big movies of 2010 I have not seen yet. I blame the economy.